Release of Ibuprofen from Stearic Acid Based fusion Matrix

The aim of the present study was to investigate the release of Ibuprofen (IB) from Stearic acid (SA) fusion matrix in different pH environments. The drug, Ibuprofen was added in weakly acidic waxy material i.e. stearic acid. This mixture was melted and re-solidified to get hard solid matrix. The results showed that the matrix has poor release (1%) in acidic medium (pH 1.3), 3% release in pH 3.6 and 12% release in pH 7.2 after 4 hrs. On other hand in basic medium (at pH 10.2) the matrix has complete release 99.97% within 30 minutes. The stearic acid fusion matrix significantly decreased the rate of drug release as the pH decreases of the dissolution medium. This fact may be implemented to develop colon specific (Basic environmental) drug delivery for drug those are gastric irritant.